Wallsend carer used vulnerable Parkinson's sufferer's bank card to buy herself cigarettes and sweets

Carol Bell of Wallsend abused her position of trust by using the bank.

Former carer Carol Bell avoided jail after using the bank card of a vulnerable person with Parkinson's.

A shameful carer used the bank card of a person with Parkinson’s she was supposed to be looking after to buy cigarettes and sweets for herself.

Carol Bell was trusted with the victim's bank card to buy her essentials after she was left needing round-the-clock care. But in ten days, she used the card for her purposes on seven occasions.

After suspicions were raised, the victim's daughter went to the store in question to investigate. Kate Barnes, prosecuting, told Newcastle Crown Court: "CCTV was accessed, and the defendant was immediately recognised as the person using the card belonging to the victim."

Staff also supplied receipts showing regular purchases of king-size cigarettes, top-up cards and confectionery. The total value of the fraudulently obtained items was £133.

The daughter then contacted the care company, who checked to see who was caring for her at the right time and confirmed it was Bell. When she was arrested, she initially said it was a mistake that she had used the woman's card for herself, but she admitted her wrongdoing and said she would pay it back.

The fifty-year-old of Vine Street, Wallsend, pleaded guilty to seven counts of fraud by false representation over ten days in August 2021. Judge Stephen Earl sentenced her to six months suspended for eighteen months with one hundred hours of unpaid work. She must also pay £133 compensation and £300 costs.

Judge Earl said: "In cases where a carer goes into the home of somebody and looks after them and is then given proper use of financial details like a bank card then makes improper use of it, that's something that passes the custody threshold.

"This is done several times, and getting caught is stopped. These are cases of high guilt because of the people they are looking after. There must be trust in the system or who will let anyone into their home."

Oliver Connor, defending, said: "She has since left the industry and has no plans to return. She offers no real explanation as to why she committed these offences. She does not know why she did this.

"She described it to me as stupid and feels awful about it. She has shown remorse.

"Since leaving the care industry, she has worked at a COVID-19 testing centre and since lined up other work. She enjoys her job and is thankful to have found it. She lives with her sister in Wallsend and helps care for her grandchildren."